PM Transcripts

EMARGO: 4.00 p. m. SUNDAY
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 8 OCTOBER 1978
PAPUA NEW GUINEA NATIONAL LIBRARY OPENING
The-Prime Minister will visit Port Moresby on 29-30 October to
present Australia's Independence Gift to Papua New Guinea
the National Library of Papua New Guinea. The Library will be
officially received and opened by the Prime Minister of Papua
New Guinea, Mr Michael Somare.
The Government of Papua New Guinea selected a National Library
in 1975 as its Independence Gift from the Government and people
of Australia. The Library was designed by the Commonwealth
Department of Construction in collaboration with the Government
of Papua New Guinea, the Australian National Library and the
Department of Foreign Affairs.
The steel framed building provides approximately 2,900 square
metres of mostly air-conditioned accommodation. Local timber
has been used extensively. Australian slate has been used
in the Foyer and exhibition space. Key features of the design
are two steeply pitched roof forms, modelled on the traditional
Papua New Guiniea architecture of the " Haus Tambaran".
The National Library has space for 180,000 volumes, over 10,000 films
Audio and Video cassettes and other library material.
The Library will also house the Papua New Guinea Collection and
provide a repository for material published in Papua New Guinea.
The building also contains a gallery where displays and
exhibitions can be mounted.